Sacred Fire
by Joey Taylor
Summary: Sister fic to Sheer Cold. Mai and Jamie left Domino to find those affected by the Rends and lure Team Galactic away from their friends. Can they keep the Master Ball hidden, help those left stranded and avoid getting hurt or worse along the way?
1. Chapter 1

It was odd how much ground you could cover in a couple of weeks, Mai mused as they finally reached the first of the 'Rend Sites' as Jamie referred to them. She hadn't thought that, on foot, they would get as far as they had.

Then again she'd let Jamie set the pace, and while the other Trainer was being good about how fast she went and how difficult a route she took, at the end of the day she'd had years more experience at traversing rough terrain than Mai, and as such she tended to set a gruelling pace.

Each day was getting a little easier for Mai as she adjusted to the pace. After the chaos of Battle City, and Marik's assault on her mind during the Shadow Game she had needed time to put herself back together. Finding out that Jamie (a Pokémon trainer who had been dropped on her friend Yugi Mutou's doorstep by the Lord of Space and Alternate Dimensions, a Pokémon called Palkia) was planning to take a journey to find others like her who might have been displaced in the same manner had been the perfect opportunity. The fact that it was also likely to involve much therapeutic beating up of bad guys was just icing – Palkia was under the control of Team Galactic, who were after Palkia's rival Dialga, Lord of Time.

Dialga, which Jamie was carrying with her.

Mai glanced at her travelling companion as the younger, yet more experienced Trainer scanned the circular valley below. Jamie was trying to see if she could spot anything from this height, and Mai couldn't help but wonder what was going through the girl's head.

When she'd first been introduced to 'Jamelia Francis of Littleroot Town, Aspiring Champion of the Sinnoh League' it had been at the start of Battle City and the small, slightly built girl with icy blue hair and huge sapphire eyes wouldn't have been given a second glance had she not known Yugi rather well and arrived on the back of a huge, red, dragon like creature known as a Charizard. That and the other Pokémon the girl carried had certainly caught Mai's attention - not that Jamie was carrying her League team with her now.

The Aspiring Champion had arrived in Mai's world with her League squad on her, which consisted of a Glaceon, a Charizard, a Gyarados, a Raichu, a Mightyena and a Torterra, however when she'd left Domino she'd had to leave most of her team behind to protect the Day Care Centre, which had been built by Kaiba Corp in order to look after any Pokémon that got sent through the Rends from the Team Galactic members that seemed to pop up all over the city at about the same time that Jamie had first arrived.

Not that all of them were in the Day Care for the time being. Iblis, Jamie's Charizard currently lived with Joey Wheeler, since he was the only other person that the huge Fire/Flying type wouldn't throw a temper tantrum at (and Mai wondered how he'd managed to get that sort of respect from the dragonic Pokémon), and Aisu, the Glaceon that had apparently saved Jamie's life once, had come with them, acting as Jamie's protector, just as Gale, the Staravia that Mai had chosen after fighting alongside it, acted as hers.

Of course if the reports of 'flaming horse spirits' was correct, Mai had a feeling that the amount of Pokémon in Jamie's team was about to double, since Jamie was convinced that those same spirits were in fact a group of, hopefully wild, Ponyta and Rapidash who would make a good addition to the team as they ran at incredible speeds and would make covering the land much quicker.

"Mai, look." The delight in Jamie's tone was obvious and as Mai glanced in the direction the other girl was pointing, she felt her jaw drop. Having never seen a herd of Ponyta and Rapidash before, she hadn't really known what to expect and watching a group of the creature race past, their manes and tails blazing away, was an astonishing sight. "There **are** Pokémon here. I knew it! And one's a shiny!"

Mai tore her eyes away from the sight of the red flamed herd of Ponyta and Rapidash racing across the plains below, a blue flamed one, probably quite young considering that it was being kept in the middle of the group with a couple of other Ponyta its size, standing out among them, to look at her travelling companion properly. Just last night Jamie had been feeling down because she had yet to hear of any other Trainer who wasn't with Team Galactic or one of the ones that she'd personally helped gain their Pokémon and here she was, excitable and bouncier than Mai had ever seen her.

"So what do we do?" Mai asked, knowing that Jamie's official orders from her 'superiors' at Kaiba Corp, who were funding this trip, was for them to hunt out the Rends, and see if there was anyone or anything around that required assistance and report back to the company, but not entirely convinced that Kaiba wasn't angling to acquire some of the incredibly advanced technology that the Pokémon world appeared to have.

Jamie was already moving, heading for the edge of the cliff in order to find a way down, and, after a moment to roll her eyes, Mai followed, wondering if the fifteen year old she was following remembered her own warnings about startling a wild Pokémon. There was, after all, a reason that Jamie had insisted that Mai got herself a Pokémon if she was going to travel with her.

Before Mai was down safely, Jamie was already approaching the herd, who were watching her warily, pulling a couple of berries out of her pack, trying to entice a couple forward without scaring them. Mai could imagine that the herd had had enough of that in being sent here in the first place.

The blue flamed Ponyta attempted to approach but the bigger horses, the ones that looked more like fiery unicorns, the ones Jamie called Rapidash, ushered the younger one away, while the biggest of the horses bellowed something that sounded kind of like a challenge and galloped away, the herd in tow.

Mai reached her friend's side, watching the blue flamed Ponyta leave wistfully, as Jamie let out a soft snort. "Well that went better than I hoped."

"It did?" Mai asked, surprised, since, as far as she could tell, it hadn't exactly gone to plan.

"Uh huh." Jamie nodded, eyes flickering in the direction the herd had gone for a moment before returning to Mai, "No Flamethrowers. That's always a good start."

Mai just snorted. "We staying or going?" She asked, having discussed both options last night and having agreed that it would depend on what happened when they arrived at the Rend point as to what their plans were for the next couple of days as there was a town just a few hours' walk from here and they had three days worth of supplies left.

Jamie frowned as she scanned the area. She wasn't sure what to do. On the one hand she was quite willing to camp here for a couple of days before moving on, but on the other she knew that Mai wasn't used to the whole living-in-a-tent thing and was much happier on the days when they managed to get a hotel room or stay at a B&B.

"How about we stop for lunch," Jamie suggested, trying to buy more time to decide, though she wanted to stay and try to catch the blue flamed Ponyta, "And then we can..."

"Hey! You down there!"

Hand automatically going to Aisu's Pokeball after an incident last week were a group of guys had tried to jump them, being two women travelling on their own, Jamie turned to look at who was calling them and almost melted in visible relief, when it turned out to be a brown haired teenager, who looked to be around Joey's age, who had an, to Mai's eyes anyway, odd looking cat like Pokémon with him.

"Hey!" Jamie waved up to the Trainer, grinning at the sight of a Delcatty, "Come on down, it's perfectly safe!"

The teen scrambled down the cliff face, his Delcatty picking its way down a bit more carefully, and approached them warily, as if he wasn't sure what to make of them.

"Jamie Francis, of Littleroot Town." Jamie introduced herself immediately, surprising Mai by leaving off both her full name and the 'Aspiring Champion' bit that, a couple of weeks ago, she had been so proud of, offering her hand and putting the other Trainer at ease, "It's nice to finally see another Trainer."

"Jax Daniels, of Cerulean City." The teen replied shaking Jamie's hand, "And this is Murr." He indicated the Prim Pokémon, who wound its way around Mai's legs, "Same to you, I was beginning to think I was the only one sent here." He glanced at Mai, curiously before looking back at Jamie and asking, "Who's your friend?"

"I'm Mai Valentine." The Duellist turned Trainer informed him, "I'm from this world, but this lunatic has got me training Pokémon."

Jax chuckled, nodding in understanding before turning to Jamie, "I have to apologise, but I'm not challenging anyone right now, so if I could get the same courtesy..."

"Of course." Jamie nodded, "I'm only carrying one Pokémon with me at the moment anyway."

"Really?" Jax looked surprised, wondering if she'd leant the other one to Mai.

"Yeah, there's a Day Care Centre set up in a city about a two week walk in that direction," Jamie indicated the direction they'd come from, "Called Domino. I had to leave most of my squad there." She glanced at Mai, "Do you mind if we set up camp here and stayed for a couple of days?"

It took the blonde a moment to run through a mental list of everything they had in their packs, to try and work out if they had enough supplies to last another couple of days. Water wasn't an issue with an ice type Pokémon around, they just had Aisu use Ice Beam and melted the resulting ice for water and they'd stocked up on food just a day or two ago, enough to last a week and it was, supposedly, only a day's walk to the next town.

"I don't see why not." Mai shrugged, not really wanting to camp but aware that she had volunteered for this when she'd agreed to go with Jamie in the first place. "We need to be moving Thursday at the latest though."

Jamie quickly totalled it up, that would give them three days to check there was no one else around and nothing else was wrong in the area. "Sounds good to me." The icy blue haired Trainer nodded, smiling even as she shook herself free from her backpack. "Hungry, Jax?"

Jax shook his head, but his stomach grumbled, telling the lie. "Sorry." He apologised, "I don't have any money so I've been living off the last of my travelling rations and I ran out some time yesterday. If you don't mind..."

"I don't..." Jamie trailed off and looked at Mai, suddenly realising that she'd invited someone to dinner without asking her friend and travelling companion.

Of course Mai felt a bit backed into a corner. On the one hand she didn't really like the idea of sharing a meal with a complete stranger even if he was another Pokémon Trainer and as such much more trustworthy than some random stranger from her world, on the other if she didn't let him eat with them, he wouldn't be able to have a proper meal for a very long time and Jamie would probably be pissed at her.

"No, it's fine. You'll have to give us a chance to set up camp though."

"You need a hand?"

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

Nanoha Miko adjusted her gillet, feeling uncomfortable. It was bad enough moving to the New World under Commander Mercury, but at least the blue-haired Galactic had been somewhat reliable and, in the end, a good person. Now she didn't even have that safety-net. There was no way the Team's shadowy allies at Paradias would accept two additional Galactic 'liaisons' – the reposting had been a death sentence for Mercury, and both of them had known it. Mercury – Rio – had gone into hiding under the protection of Kaiba Corp, while Miko had taken her Orichalcos stone and gone to Dartz.

Travelling overland, living off what she and her remaining Pokémon could find it had taken her almost two weeks to reach Paradias headquarters. She'd left almost everyone at the Daycare back in Domino City, taking only Kithila and Fuujin with her to the airport to see Rio off and catch her own, separate plane.

Not that her decision had been accepted by all of her friends – Demise had joined her at boarding, dropping his pokeball into her hands and sealing himself as she crossed the tarmac. It had been far too late to do anything about it by then, so she'd accepted his company with a sigh and a smile. It wasn't until she'd landed and switched her Pokegear's phone back on that she'd been able to pick up any of the irate voicemails from Mokuba Kaiba's office, complaining about her 'damn insect' cutting up one of his Day Care workers' arms when the man had tried to prevent him escaping.

She was here now, however. The black Paradias building loomed over her. Taking a breath, she stepped through the doors into a surprisingly corporate lobby. She lifted Rio's green pendant out of her shirt, letting it hang in plain view as she walked up to the reception. One of the two secretaries manning the desk glanced up at her, then did a double-take at the pendant, before smiling.

"First time, dear?" She asked, and Miko nodded mutely. "Don't worry, everything's going to be just fine. I'll see if Mr. Dartz is available." She pressed a button on her console and spoke into her headset, listening to the response before smiling at the somewhat wild-looking girl before her. "I'm afraid he's in a meeting at the moment, but if you take the elevator behind me to the fifteenth floor, then go down the corridor to the end, there's a room where you can freshen up a little while you wait."

"Ano... thank you." Miko replied, conscious of how much her accent stuck out here – at least in Japan it had been somewhat similar to the local one. Here, she was speaking an entirely different language and it showed. She supposed she was lucky that Galactic had seen fit to teach Mercury's team both English and Cantonese, but her lack of fluency still made her feel self-conscious.

"Don't worry. Everything's going to be ok now." The woman told her, slightly patronisingly, before waving her on. Miko swallowed, running her fingers nervously over the stone about her neck, before stepping into the lift and pressed the button for the fifteenth floor. It would be good to have a wash, at least, after two weeks in the field.

To her surprise, however, the 'prep room' she'd been told about was, in fact, the changing room for the employee's gymnasium and swimming pool on the same floor – including fully enclosed shower cubicles. Hanging up her jacket, she went into one of the stalls. Piling her clothes on a little bench, she hesitated before putting the orichalcos pendant on top of the pile, next to her trainer belt. She kept the necklace containing Fuujin around her neck, however.

She was just rinsing out her hair when she heard a rattling sound coming from the pile of clothes. Frowning, she wrapped herself in a towel and moved back over to check on them – one of her dusk balls was vibrating.

"Nincada, come on out." She ordered, opening the ball with a deft touch. The root-feeding bug she'd found wandering, confused and displaced as she crossed the Peninsula ranges materialised with a relieved sigh. Nincada curled up, starting to glow softly and the trainer realised what was happening. "Oh, wow..." She murmured with a smile then frowned. "But why now..?"

Her answer came as the green orichalcos symbol formed on Nincada's forehead, green lines spreading out across the bug Pokémon's carapace, which started to split open down the back.

"The stone set it off..?" She wondered, frowning slightly. She wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not.

With a heave, Nincada tore its way free through the back of its previous body, leaving the husk on the floor.

"Ninjask..." It murmured, identifying itself, scanning the area for a moment before coming to alight on Miko's shoulder. She smiled at the small creature, reaching up to stroke its head gently.

"Well, you're pretty." She murmured. "I guess we'll have to wait and see if the stone's hurt you..."

"Ninjask." The Pokémon shook his head, and she blinked before directing her gaze to the shed skin. The room seemed to darken, as if all light were being drained away. The shed skin was glowing softly.

"Shed..." A dry, whispery voice echoed. "Shedinja..." It continued, and the empty husk rose, eyes glowing green and the orichalcos symbol glowing upon its forehead. After a moment, the light returned to the room and the glowing symbol faded until it was a black tattoo upon the ghostly Pokémon's brow. The Shedinja floated forward, and Miko held up a hand for it to land upon. Rather than taking the opportunity, however, it floated up to rub affectionately against her cheek.

"Well, hello." She smiled. "I didn't expect to meet you today, either. Welcome to the team, Djinn. You too, Sora." She turned her smile upon the Ninjask, before convincing them to find another perch so that she could get dressed for her meeting with Dartz.

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

Listening to Jamie and Jax interact over lunch, left Mai feeling a little like a third wheel. As the pair of them discussed how they'd gotten there and bonded over bad travelling experiences the Duellist - who hadn't long started training Pokémon - wasn't sure what to say.

It wasn't something Jamie was doing deliberately. In fact if she'd known that she was making Mai feel that way she would have made more of an effort to include her friend in the conversation. As it was, she was so pleased to have someone from her world that she could have an open and honest conversation with, without having to worry about someone seeing them that she didn't think about it.

"I thought I saw an odd coloured Ponyta in the herd," Jax commented as the conversation slowly wound down, "If you don't mind, I might stick around and try to catch it."

That got a reaction from Mai. When they had sent Jax to get some water so they could start cooking, Mai had mentioned to Jamie that she preferred the look of the blue flamed Ponyta to the look of the red flamed ones and Jamie had promised her that she'd help her catch it. "I don't know…"

"I kind of promised Mai I'd help her catch it." Jamie shook her head, "So I don't mind you sticking around but…"

"Race you to it." Jax grinned at Mai, challenging her.

Mai scowled at him. Jamie had warned her about the competitive nature of the Pokémon Trainers, in fact she'd outright admitted that if Mai hadn't wanted the blue Ponyta she would have caught it, not that getting it away from the herd would be easy.

"Hey, hey, down guys." Jamie chuckled, getting between them, "How about we come to an agreement? If we," She indicated herself and Mai, "Can't catch it by Wednesday, the day before we break camp, you can have a shot, is that ok? We were here first after all."

Mai thought about it. That gave them two days to catch it.

Jax shook his head. "I have no food."

"That would be a problem anywhere you go." Mai commented.

"I know," Jax sighed, "But..."

"The Day Care Centre in Domino City welcomes all Trainers from our world." Jamie grinned at him, "I was working for them for months. If you don't mind tagging along with is to the next city, I'll buy you some food and hook you up with some maps. If that's ok?" She asked her travelling companion who nodded.

"Thank you." Jax looked surprised.

"Hey, us Trainers have to look out for each other. We're a rare breed after all." Jamie chuckled. "I can pay for enough supplies to last till you hit Domino, but it will all be dried stuff."

Jax frowned. Jamie knew what was going through his mind. Other then Pokémon Centres, which were league sponsored, she didn't like taking charity from people she didn't know. "Thank you." Jax said finally, "I'll pay you back if I can get some work at the Centre."

Jamie just nodded, giving the other Trainer a smile before it died slightly and she looked between Jax and Mai. "We still haven't sorted out what we're doing about that blue Ponyta."

"Well after that offer I can't exactly try to steal it out from under you guys." Jax snorted, slightly irritated about that.

Jamie, noting Jax's tone just gave him a brief smile. "I promise, if we haven't caught it by Wednesday afternoon, you can go for it."

Jax just gave her a short nod as Mai's phone went off. "Give me a sec." The blonde said, getting up and moving away from the camp.

"I guess I'll wash up then." Jamie chuckled, having already started heating water to wash the plates and cups with.

"Let me. You girls cooked." Jax interrupted, taking the plates from Jamie as Mai wandered off to phone the other Duellist turned Pokémon Trainer, needing something to do. She was gone five, ten minutes at most and when she came back she was highly amused.

"What's tickled you?" Jamie asked, sapphire blue eyes dancing, causing Mai to wonder what had cheered up her travelling companion, considering that she'd been in a foul mood yesterday.

"Apparently Yugi's got himself some friends." Mai explained, "You know about the ghosts?"

Jamie nodded. Of course she did. She'd spent at least ten minutes laughing as she imagined the look on Yami's face when he realised that his precious charge had been stolen away by ghost Pokémon only to find Yugi an hour later playing games with the same ghosts that had kidnapped him.

"Well apparently there was a Vulpix and Persian following him around too."

"There was?" Jamie asked, giving Mai a slightly confused look.

"Uh huh. He's adopted them now." Jamie nodded at Mai's words, "One question," The blonde continued, "What are…?" Mai trailed off when Jamie pulled out her Pokedex and hit a few buttons before handing it over. She examined the two pictures Jamie called up before snorting. "Figures Yugi would get a cat, surprised about the kitsune though."

"Kitsune?" Jamie asked as she gathered up her essentials. Since their camp was here and there was someone to guard it, she didn't need to take everything, and she figured that a decent amount of berries, a couple of Pokeballs and her Pokedex would be enough.

Mai explained about the Japanese legend of the kitsune as she gathered together the things that Jamie had suggested, then the pair of the moved away from the camp. Their Pokémon, who had eaten with them, followed.

Mai glanced up at her Staravia as she followed her friend across the valley floor, towards the group of Ponyta and Rapidash, trying to spot the horses before they spotted them.

It didn't work.

The lead herd's lead stallion had been aware of their movements the entire time and was keeping the group ahead of the girls, not that the Pokémon went very far. The valley was wide, and, though the sides of the enclosed valley were too steep to allow the horses to climb it, there was a hidden exit behind some rocks that led out onto a whole bunch of fields, which had a much saner angle on their slopes.

Mai and Jamie were just emerging into those field, chasing the herd, when a whinny came from the biggest of the Rapidash and flames erupted around them.

"Aisu! Blizzard!" The call came quickly as Jamie tugged the much taller blonde woman behind her. Mai, who had been caught off guard by the sudden burst of flame, watched in shock as the huge wave of ice that appeared at Aisu's call smothered the flames. "Stay back Mai." Jamie advised, though Mai thought she sounded odd, and, she could have been mistaken, but she thought Jamie's hair and eyes had changed colour.

The herd backed off as Aisu and Jamie stepped forward, the two biggest Rapidash in the group standing their ground as she approached.

"We don't want you." Jamie told the pair, her tone low and dangerous. "But I will fight you if you stay in our way."

One of the Rapidash spat a flame towards the floor, while the other whinnied at her, pawed the ground and leapt into the air.

Jamie rolled out of the way as the huge Pokémon came down, its Bounce attack narrowly missing as Gale, on Mai's orders, used its Wing Attack to knock the Rapidash out of its decent trajectory.

"You take one, I'll take the other." Jamie told the more inexperienced Trainer, "Aisu!"

The Glaceon hesitated just a moment, then she bellowed a challenge to the horses, loosing an Ice Beam that froze the ground and caused the pair of Rapidash to lose their footing, only then have to dodge a Fire Blast attack that shot past both Trainer and Pokémon to explode against the hillside.

Gale swept in, using it's Whirlwind attack to send the Rapidash sprawling as Mai moved to Jamie's side. "Jay?" The blonde asked, a little worried as another pair of Rapidash stepped forward and the rest of the herd surrounded the injured pair, supporting them.

The girl tossed her head, irritation obvious. "I don't really want to go through the entire herd to get to the one you want." She commented, well aware that all it would take was a couple of lucky shots and Aisu would go down, fire did, after all, have an advantage over ice. "Normally wild Pokémon attack in ones and twos, not eights and nines."

"Stand down then." Mai advised. "If we act like we were defending ourselves..."

"We want one now, we have to fight." Jamie snorted, "They won't come quietly. I'm guessing they've had run ins with humans before and if you combo that with the fact they were Rended..." This point was emphasised when one of the Rapidash whinnied at Aisu and the Glaceon's reply sounded rather rude, if Jamie was reading her tone right. "Aisu, ready for round two?"

The Glaceon didn't pay any attention to her, she was too engrossed in her heated conversation with the lead stallion, who had gotten back to his feet. Before too long the lead stallion was pawing the ground, shaking his head as he did so.

"Aisu." Jamie snapped. The Glaceon just gave her an irritated look over her shoulder and turned away, continuing her conversation with the Rapidash, surprising Mai with her attitude towards her Trainer, considering that she had always treated her Trainer with respect.

"I don't think Aisu wants to fight them." Mai commented, amused by Aisu's attitude. She glanced around to see where her Staravia was, and became amused when she spotted the bird in a tree, preening himself. Obviously when she wasn't under attack, the Normal/Flying type was unconcerned about wild Pokémon.

Jamie scowled at Mai's words momentarily, then, when it became obvious that the fighting had stopped and the leader of the herd wasn't about to attack her Glaceon, let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders sinking and her exhaustion obvious.

"You alright?" Mai asked, concerned considering that Jamie hadn't appeared this tired on their journey so far.

"Yeah, I'm..." Jamie looked a little confused, concerning Mai further. She didn't get to ask any questions though as at a whinny from the lead stallion, two of the Ponyta, the blue one and one of the red ones, separated from the herd and wandered over to the girls.

Aisu bowed to the lead stallion, who whinnied back, his tone threatening before leading the rest of the herd away.

"What just happened?" Mai asked Jamie, who was a little confused herself but was approaching the red flamed Ponyta warily, reaching out to pat its neck and flinching slightly when the flames picked up.

"Easy girl," Jamie murmured, not sure what Aisu had said to the lead stallion but hoping that these two they'd left behind would be friendly, "Easy..." She put her hand on the horse's neck and let out a sigh of relief.

"Don't that burn?" Mai asked, before getting nudged by the blue flamed one, causing her to look at it in shock as the blue flames wrapped around her but didn't set anything on fire, then, cautiously patted its head.

"No. Ponyta and Rapidash flames only burn what the Pokémon in question want them to burn." Jamie said, pulling one of the empty Pokeballs off of her belt and tapping the red flamed Ponyta on the head with it.

The Pokémon turned into a bright red light which was absorbed by the Pokeball. The button turned red and the ball shook in Jamie's hand for a few seconds, then the button turned white again and Jamie grinned. "Not how I'd normally catch a Pokémon, but..." She shrugged.

"How did you...?" Mai asked, pulling an empty Pokeball from her pocket and yelping when the blue flamed Ponyta nudged the hand the ball was in and got pulled into the ball. "What the...?"

Jamie chuckled as she watched the Pokeball shake for just half a second before the button turned white.

"Pokeballs hold the creatures they're linked to as energy." The Trainer explained, "When you first catch a Pokémon it might escape the Pokeball. Until the button turns white, it's not securely captured. I thought I explained that two weeks ago."

She tossed the Pokeball into the air, pressing the button as it left her hand and the red flamed Ponyta reappeared. "I don't know why you've joined our team, but thank you." The Ponyta tossed its head.

"No, you explained how to send out a Pokémon, but you didn't tell me that." Mai said as she sent her Ponyta out, smiling slightly as she did so, "So, do we nickname them now?"

"Can do." Jamie nodded, looking her Ponyta over, "What do you want to call him?" She paused, looked again, and chuckled, "Call her, sorry."

**LINE_RECOGNTION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

While the other Pokémon played games and chowed down on the food that their Trainers provided, Aisu watched her Trainer carefully.

She knew her Trainer, and that girl earlier hadn't been her Trainer in the same way that the Pharaoh wasn't Yugi. That was why she'd acted up the way she had.

Never mind that HER Trainer wouldn't have been so rude as to interrupt her mid-conversation and that she had been trying to explain everything as she knew it to the Ponyta and Rapidash to try and get some more allies.

But then her Trainer had been acting weird for a couple of weeks. If Aisu could have talked it over with the other Trainer that hers was travelling with she would have done. Instead she was just left to watch and guard over her Trainer and hope that she wasn't getting sick or worse…

**LINE_RECOGNTION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

**Author Note: - Well here it is. Sorry for the delay. This is the sister fic to Sheer Cold. I'll be updating them in story timeline order, so you're unlikely to get two chapters at the same time with both of them again for a long time. **


	2. Sealed

Miko slipped into the CEO of Paradius' offices for the second time that week. During their first meeting, he had given her a once-over, asked her a few probing question about her service with Galactic and how she had felt since receiving the Orichelcos stone. He'd also given her a deck of Duel Monsters cards and told her to get to know them, and to talk to Alister if she had any problems or questions.

So far, she'd had neither. Still, she couldn't work out what the boss might want, unless he had a mission for her already.

"Ah, Nanoha." Dartz glanced up from the paper he was going over. "Good to see you're a punctual type. Take a look at this, tell me what you think." He pulled out the drawer in his desk and retrieved something, which he tossed to her. She caught it in both hands, then turned it over.

"A... Pokeball?" She asked, blinking. "This is a seal ball."

"Very good." Dartz smiled. "This is the seal." He told her, passing it over. She examined the slip of foil, frowning slightly.

"This is the symbol on the Seal of Orichelcos card you gave me." She realised. "I thought the Orichelcos was a stone?"

"Very good," He smiled at her. "The Seal is a way of channelling power back into the Orichelcos stones. However, it also forms a link with the stone – your Shedinja gave me the idea. It draws power through the seal on its forehead. The seal ball should let the Pokémon inside do the same thing. I want you to switch over to these for a while and field-test them. If it's successful, we'll be spreading them to the rest of our forces... then nothing will be able to stop us. We'll be able to do away with those Galactic idiots, and then... well." He smirked. "Then things will finally return to the way they _should_ be."

"As you wish," Miko nodded, squashing her nervousness along with her reluctance to hurt people. Game face time. "Do you have a target for me?"

"Of course." Dartz chuckled. "There's an emergence point containing a store and a few houses nearby. Raphael will supervise, you'll be taking a helicopter then approaching on foot."

"As you wish." She nodded. "I'll need twenty minutes to transfer my Pokémon."

"Very well. Meet Raphael on the roof in twenty minutes." The CEO nodded, and went back to his work. Miko bowed and left, closing the door gently.

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

"Help!"

Jamie's eyes shot skywards at the cry, Mai's following just seconds behind, just in time to see a child float past clinging on to a group of Driftloon.

"Arceus damn it!" Jamie snarled, reaching for her belt only to remember that she didn't have Iblis on her.

"Chika!"

A woman burst out of the nearby trees, staring skyward, chasing after the floating girl.

"Pyre, go!" Jamie snarled, midnight blue eyes flashing as she mounted her Ponyta and darted after the Driftloon who were slowly vanishing out of sight.

Mai sent out Gale, who swooped after the group, pumping his wings as he tried to reach the same altitude as the Driftloon, wary of attacking since he wasn't large enough to catch the girl if she fell, before swiftly catching up with the woman who she assumed was the girl's mother.

"Help me." The woman begged, "My daughter..."

"Working on it." Mai promised, watching as Gale reached the right height and screeched at the Driftloon, who merely carried on floating by, ignoring the Flying/Normal Pokémon.

Ahead of them Jamie was cursing her stupidity. She hadn't realised how much she relied on the huge Fire/Flying Pokémon until she no longer had him with her. She should have at least carried Iblis with her, even if she hadn't kept everyone else with her.

Below her Pyre was tiring, the young Ponyta not used to travelling with someone on his back at speed for any length of time, before too long she was going to have to dismount and the Driftloon were picking up speed, trying to escape the pursuit of Mai's Staravia.

Then an idea hit her, "Pyre, get ahead of them."

The Ponyta picked up speed, becoming a ball of flames as he dashed ahead of the Driftloon and deposited his Trainer far enough ahead of her target to start her plan, sending out Aisu and getting the Glaceon to start creating a wall of ice that extended upwards, staying well back from it as Mai caught up to her on Tinder's back, the blue flamed Ponyta breathing heavily as she and the girl's mother dismounted.

"Jamie? What...?"

"Get Gale to herd them lower." Jamie told her as the ice wall grew higher and higher. "If they hit the wall the girl'll slide right down to us."

"Gale! Get them to fly lower!" Mai, who was unsure that this would work, bellowed up at her Pokémon. She didn't know if he heard her or not but the Staravia flew above the group of balloon like Pokémon and used Wing Attack to scare the ghosts lower and lower.

It appeared to be working until the little girl, too tired to hold on any longer, let go and Gale went tumbling as one of the Driftloon attacked him with a blast of darkness.

"CHIKA!" The girl's mother screamed as the girl fell, too far away from the ice slide to reach safety.

Gale righted himself and dove for the girl, folding his wings, trying to pick up enough speed to reach her. As he dove he started glowing with a bright white light.

As they watched from below the light changed shape and even before it had finished dying out, a much larger, much more powerful Gale, with huge wings and a red comb on his head, had caught the girl and started swooping down to his Trainer.

"He evolved!" Jamie's tone was one of amused awe. "He's a Staraptor now!"

"What?" Mai asked, stunned by this turn of events as Gale landed at her feet. Jamie didn't get a chance to answer as the girl's mother screamed and pulled her daughter off of Gale's back, hugging her tightly.

"Thank you. Thank you." The woman repeated, bowing to them as best she could each time. "Thank you."

Jamie watched the skies a few moments longer, watching as the group of Ghost/Flying Pokémon floated away and scowling slightly as she wondered where they'd come from before giving Mai an amused look.

"Gale must have been better trained than I thought." She said before she turned to the woman, "I'm Jamie Francis and this is Mai Valentine." She indicated them both in turn, "We were looking for the local village. We need some supplies."

"I can show you." The woman looked pleased that there was something she could do for the two girls, as the pair recalled their Pokémon, "If you'd just follow me."

"Thank you." Mai bowed back to the woman, who, still clinging to her daughter, shook her head.

"No, thank you. When those creatures took my daughter..."

Jamie bit her lip, concern in her sapphire eyes, as she nodded, not quite sure what had just happened but understanding that it had involved Pokémon.

"There should be a warning about those balloon things." Mai nodded at the woman.

Jamie frowned slightly. If they were the Pokémon she was thinking of, then Driftloon only kidnapped children who tugged on their 'strings' repeatedly, mistaking them for a balloon, but she didn't think the woman would want to hear it and they needed her help.

"What were they?" Mai asked Jamie as the woman led the way back, the path easy to find among the singed grass that had been left in the wake of the Ponyta.

"I didn't get a good look, but I think they were Driftloon. They're part ghost balloon like Pokémon who originate from Sinnoh."

"So we must be close to the Rend, right?" Mai asked, hoping so because she would really, really like a day to rest and they generally only stopped for any length of time when they hit a Rend Point or a major City, neither of which they'd reached in the last week.

"I think so. If the Pokémon have spread out though, it'll be difficult to find it." Jamie mused aloud, "We'll hit the village first, then we'll go looking. Sound good?"

"As long as I get something to eat soon, it sounds excellent."

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

The League may have folded but Canalave City, under the leadership of the Gym Leader, Byron, still stood firm.

Team Galactic weren't happy about it, of course. If the city wasn't attacked on a daily basis, then something big was going on. Luckily for them there were plenty of Pokémon Trainers around that could defend the city. They'd even managed to repel, not defeat but repel, Palkia twice.

Not that they were sure they'd be lucky a third time. They weren't even sure how they'd managed it the first two, but they'd done it and it had both upped the moral of the oppressed masses and severely pissed Team Galactic off.

One of the biggest problems of the city being a bastion of hope, besides the regular attacks, was that Canalave's Pokémon Centre was full to overflowing with Trainers who had come to the city as their last safe haven.

The Gym was hosting some, the library yet others but it had long ago passed the point where the Pokémon Centre could keep up with the demands on their services and, where people had taken Trainers in to start with, there was just no more room and some Trainers were sleeping in the streets.

This was where Lizzie, Jack and Will found themselves.

The three of them had had a hell of a time getting from the port at Sandgem Town to Canalave, having had to fight their way through several Galactic sympathisers and it hadn't helped that Lizzie looked so much like her big sister that at least twice she had been mistaken for the supposedly dead Trainer, if not more.

The first time it had been vaguely amusing, as the Trainer in question had screamed like a girl and run away, the second time though it had been a Galactic Grunt, who had wanted to know how the hell she'd gotten back from the Otherworld.

Of course when he'd realised his mistake, mostly because Jamie didn't have a highly ticked off Swampert, he'd called in that 'Francis' little sister was in Sinnoh' and attempted to bring them in.

Tide, the Swampert that had once been Jamie's starter Pokémon and now belonged to Lizzie, had had none of it and the Earthquake attack that the huge blue Pokémon had loosed had severely damaged the roads and the local cave system, meaning that they'd had to climb up the cliffs rather than use the much safer river route.

It had confirmed Lizzie's suspicions though. The League had announced to one and all that Jamelia Francis of Littleroot Town had been killed trying to stop Team Galactic, but they were wrong. Her sister was alive.

Not that Lizzie knew how she was going to get into the Otherworld to help Jamie, but she at least had that much where she hadn't a couple of months ago.

The three of them had arrived in town during an attack and joined in the defence of the Pokémon Centre, earning themselves a free meal for the evening (though drinks cost extra). Like all the Trainers who were currently staying in Canalave City, however, they were expected to find their own accommodation.

Of course the main problem with that was while they were off fighting they'd had their stuff moved around a couple of times by new Trainers who had arrived and either decided that they could squash up and shoved them all to one side, or worse, rolled up the stuff of one of their group and moved it and then 'forgotten' where they put it.

Luckily since they'd put their names on their stuff the moment they'd seen how packed Canalave City was, it was normally quite easy to find it again, mostly because it had become common courtesy, if you found someone's stuff in your spot, to shout round and, if a shout round was going, keep the message going down the line.

It was difficult but the three of them were willing to put up with it, mostly because Lizzie needed the help of the boys and Will and Jack were determined to keep an eye on Lizzie in order to make sure she didn't get caught or Rended. It would have been much easier if Lizzie hadn't wanted to get Rended in order to help her sister.

At least there was a huge advantage, at least to the minds of the boys. With the Trainer horde that had taken over, Team Galactic appeared to have completely forgotten about the fact that Jamelia's sister was in the city. They'd been able to spread word that the stories, of a Pokémon Champion who was fighting Team Galactic and stopping them from taking over there too were true.

Of course this didn't mean anyone could relax. Just because the Otherworld was under the protection of a Champion, didn't mean that it was safe, nor did it mean that they could stand back during the attacks on Canalave.

Today was no different.

"We got incoming!"

"Oh Arceus! It's Palkia!"

Lizzie blanched as she wheeled around, sending out Tide and her Metang, Nickel as she did so, Jack and Will just milliseconds behind, with their starters, Blade the Grovyle and Sikaran the Combusken.

In front of her a huge portal was forming and huge white talons appearing through it, followed by a huge white arm.

"Nearly through!" Someone shouted, the cry spreading out among the Trainers that Palkia was coming.

"Third time's the charm." Palkia's handler, a young man with very pointy blue hair and a continuous sneer, sniggered as he looked over the Trainers he had appeared before, "Nothing but children and weaklings although I didn't expect to see you here." He looked at Lizzie with a curious expression as he yanked on the Red Chain that was wrapped around his hand and Palkia emerged from the rift with a roar, "How did you get back, Francis?"

Lizzie stared at Palkia for a moment, shaking in fear, wondering if this was how her sister had felt when she had faced Palkia, then Saturn's words sank into her mind and she glowered at him, "I'm not my sister, but you will return her to me."

"Oooh." Saturn chuckled, eyes widening slightly for a moment, then he gained a smirk, "I think you'll find, little girl, that we're the ones doing the ordering around here. You're coming with me. We could use the bait for your sister. PALKIA SPA..."

"Hydreigon! Hyper Voice!"

The bellow of the three headed dragon Pokémon from the Unova region drowned out Saturn's orders and knocked Palkia three foot backwards, causing a tidal wave as it splashed into the docks.

"I won't let you Rend this city."

"Katrina!" A joyous cry erupted from the lines behind Lizzie as the Unova League's Winner stepped forward, putting her hand on Lizzie's shoulder as she passed, having arrived just moments ago.

"So, a two for one deal." Saturn grinned, "Francis's sister and the failure of a Dragon Trainer who couldn't even beat that fool, Alder."

Katrina let out a growl that matched her Pokémon's as the black haired, brown eyed Trainer watched Palkia getting back up. "Hey kid..."

"Lizzie." The much younger, much less powerful Trainer interrupted, "My name's Lizzie."

"Lizzie." Katrina acknowledged, "May I assist?"

"Sure." Lizzie nodded, not stupid enough to think that she could take on Palkia on her own and grinning internally at the fact that Katrina hadn't just asked her to step aside.

"You can't defeat me even if you team up." Saturn snorted, unimpressed.

"Bring. It. On."

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

"Mai?"

"Yes, Jamie?" Mai asked, amused by her travelling companion's stunned tone, though she too was just as shocked as Jamie.

"Did we slip through a Rend when I wasn't looking?"

"No."

"Am I dreaming?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

Mai pinched Jamie who yelped and gave her a disgruntled look for about five seconds before her gaze was drawn right back to the wreaked green where a group of children were playing with a group of Bidoof while Buizel sunned themselves next to the pond and Aipom and Pachirisu played in the trees.

"This," Jamie breathed as a group of Combee buzzed past her face, "Is pretty much what a village back home looks like."

"There was a huge storm," The woman, Karachi-San, told them, "And there was this huge light show on the village green and when it died down there were these creatures everywhere. They're in the reservoirs and the local woods too."

"They're Pokémon." Jamie breathed, still in the grasp of shocked delighted, "They're Pokémon and they're thriving."

"Unfortunately." Karachi-San replied with a dour look on her face, "I take it those creatures this morning were 'Pokémon' too?"

"They were called Driftloon but…" Jamie paused, looking at the woman, concerned. Her anger towards the Driftloon was understandable, but she hoped that it didn't continue over to all of the Pokémon in the local area, especially considering that to her eyes it looked like Galactic had Rended a whole route and the Pokémon that had been caught up in it had settled down rather well. She did have one question though…

"Was there a building that appeared out of nowhere when the Pokémon appeared? Or a group of people or something?"

"There was a building, it had people in that called themselves 'Pokémon Trainers', they called it the 'Airworks' or something like that."

"Windworks? The Valley Windworks?" Jamie asked, blanching slightly for a moment, before the part about other Trainers sunk in, "Are they still there?" She asked, excited.

"No. They moved on months ago." Jamie's face fell, "However there were some people there in grey, white and black uniform with greeny blue hair in funny cuts. They come and go regularly."

"Galactic." Jamie's tone shifted from the friendly tone she'd had before, to a darker, angrier tone. "Are they there now?"

"I'm not sure." Karachi-San said thoughtfully, "There were some around yesterday but..." She frowned slightly at the pair, "I'm not sure that approaching them is a good idea. They haven't been particularly... friendly so far."

"I could clear them out if they've been causing trouble." Jamie offered without a second's hesitation, causing Mai to look at her travelling companion properly, confused as to the sudden attitude change.

"No. No." Karachi waved it off, "They haven't caused any trouble other than to rile up the... Pokémon? Was it? Every so often, taking a few away at a time."

Jamie's scowl only deepened at that, but before Karachi could ask what was wrong Mai changed the subject, "So where's this shop?"

"Just this way." The woman said, heading swiftly for the locals shops. Mai and Jamie had to rush to catch up with her and in doing so the pair missed the attention they'd gained from a couple of the children, one of whom had darted off the moment that the pair's attention had turned away from the group, heading for the remains of the Windworks.

"So?" Mai asked as they started stocking up on supplies, "What's the plan?"

Jamie sighed as she thought about it, trying not to be concerned that she was having blackouts again and wondering whether she should see a doctor or something, "We're going to have to stick around a little while or get Kaiba to send someone out to do so if the Pokémon are going to live around here on a more permanent basis."

"Can't you just get rid of them?" The shop keeper, who worked the only checkout in the tiny shop asked, having overheard their conversation.

"We don't have enough Pokeballs to catch them all and it's really easy to live alongside Pokémon, as long as you don't do anything silly like tug on a Driftloon's string and they can be really useful. Pachirisu for example can be used as emergency backup generators, though I wouldn't suggest using them as a power source long term." Jamie tried to defend the creatures from her home world, "You just have to know how to treat them. I can teach you that."

"You mean those squirrelly things that have moved into the trees are useful?" The store keeper asked.

Jamie nodded as she picked out a few energy bars that looked vaguely like food. "The others around here too, well most of them. Bidoof can be a bit of a pain. They like building dams and they get everywhere."

"So they're beavers?" Mai asked, having wondered since she'd seen their teeth.

"I suppose..." Jamie gave her travelling companion an odd look, confused since she wasn't sure what a beaver was.

Mai didn't get a chance to tell her as the sound of screams interrupted any conversation going on.

Jamie darted outside, hoping that it didn't have anything to do with the Pokémon outside only to find a Trainer outside causing trouble, their Pokémon, a huge red and black crocodile and an odd chandelier like creature with green flames going after the wild Pokémon and not being careful to avoid the children.

"Cut it out!" Jamie snapped as she sent out Aisu, the Glaceon appearing with a cry. "You should know better!"

"Ah there she is." The Trainer, a blonde haired, blue eyed man, sniggered as he turned to look at her, "Krookodile, Chandelure say hi to the guest of honour."

Jamie let out a sharp hiss as the pair turned to face her. Both Pokémon's eyes were glowing with some kind of green light and there was a weird symbol on the forehead of the Krookodile and the bulb of the Chandelure, a symbol that glowed with the same light as their eyes.

"What have you done to those Pokémon?" Jamie growled, confused as to what the hell was going on and what was wrong with the pair.

"You're holding something I need." The Trainer replied, "And I've been given a gift, a gift that will allow me to take it."

"I don't know what..."

"You have Dialga." Jamie froze up completely at that, wondering how he knew. "And I plan to take it. Take it and use it against Team Galactic and get us all home safely."

"Gale, g.." Mai attempted to send out her Staraptor, only to be interrupted by the appearance of a pair of green circles of light, one smaller than the other, runes written in green light between the pair which spiralled around out of the sky and settled on the ground around her and a second newcomer, a woman with black hair and brown eyes, before giving off a bright green glow around the edge, creating a barrier as a star appeared in the centre of the smaller of the circles.

"Mai!" Jamie, who'd been knocked away from her friend by the light, tried to dart into the circles, knowing somehow that this wasn't good, only to bounce back and hit the floor hard.

"Oi, Francis, pay attention." The man snapped, his Krookodile attempting to take a bite out of the Trainer as he did so, only to get hit by an Icy Wind attack and knocked flying, "I'm your opponent. Let those losers play their game."

"Who are you?" Jamie demanded as she got to her feet, hoping that Mai could handle herself as the woman started spouting something about becoming the best female duellist in the world and using the Seal to do it, "And how did you know about Dialga?"

"I'm Leon Rendell, of Driftveil City." The man informed her, "And unlike you, there are people around who're trying to help us. People who are willing to give us the strength to fight legendary Pokémon."

"We're Trainers. We don't get given strength, we earn it." Jamie snarled, midnight blue eyes flashing.

"Heh. Then show me how strong you are. If your power is so much better than mine, then prove it. I challenge you."

In her world, in the position she was in within the league as it had once stood, she had no rights of refusal. She had to accept his challenge. However, here in the Otherworld, she had a choice. Or she would have done had there not been the little matter of her pride being attacked.

"Single battle only." Jamie nodded, "But I accept your challenge."

"Of course you do. You're a Trainer, you feel the rightness of settling it this way." Leon sniggered, "Krookodile." He gestured and the huge Dark/Ground Pokémon moved forward, glaring at Aisu, who pawed the ground and growled at it. "Earthquake!"

"Ice Beam!"

Even as the ground started shaking, Aisu was already launching her attack, the ray hitting the Krookodile and distracting it from its attack, though the tremors continued long enough to scare the villagers into running for the hills.

"Jamie?" Mai shouted over the noise of the quake, concerned.

"Concentrate on your fight." Jamie snapped back before wheeling on her opponent, "If you're going to use attacks like that we should take it out of town."

Leon sniggered, "I suppose you're right..." He looked around, "And yet we stand in the middle of a village green, with no building closer to us then the stands are in stadiums..." He shrugged, completely unconcerned, "Krookodile, Outrage!"

Aisu narrowly avoided being flattened by the rampaging Pokémon as Leon gave his answer to Jamie's comment.

"Oi, Valentine." The woman growled, her eyes glowing green and the glowing symbol on the ground resting on her forehead, as Jamie snapped out a counter attack, drawing Mai's attention to her, "Turn your Duel Disk on or forfeit."

Mai hesitated. She hadn't duelled since her game with Marik and she didn't feel ready to fight, but she had a funny feeling that if Jamie couldn't get into the strange green circle, then she wasn't going to be getting out of it. Not without fighting and, knowing how these things seemed to go, not without winning.

"Fine." Mai unhitched her Duel Disk from her backpack and shuffled her deck before putting it into her Duel Disk and, nervously activated it. "Why are you doing this anyway?" Mai demanded as she drew her first hand of the game. "Who are you and is this seriously about the title of 'Best Woman Duellist'? Because if it is, that's a really lame reason to call something like this..." She gestured to the glow around them.

"I'm testing it out." The woman shrugged, "My name's Kate Inchly and I have bigger fish to fry then you, but the title of Best Woman Duellist is something I've coveted for a while, so fighting you to test this new card is ideal."

Mai grumbled slightly. She'd known her standing had gone down amongst Duellists because of her losses to Joey and Marik. Losing to Yugi didn't matter, it had hit slightly but since he could beat Kaiba and Pegasus, it didn't affect her rankings too much. No it was the losses to the supposedly unimpressive newcomers that had done it.

Still she didn't want to fight, not now and certainly not with magic involved. She had thought the weird stuff had only followed Yugi around. Obviously she had been wrong.

"I played my field card, so I suppose that means I get first turn." Inchly snorted, "I play two cards face down and a card in defence mode, your move..."

Mai drew her card, only to pause, distracted as huge spikes of ice appeared on the battle field, created by the Ice Beam attack that only narrowly missed its target. froze over snow swept through the battle field, ushered in by Aisu's Blizzard attack, the wave of ice sending the Krookodile crashing into someone's garden. When the huge crocodile didn't get back up, Leon snarled and recalled it.

"Chandelure! Fire Blast!"

Jamie let out a startled yell and dodged out of the way of the oncoming wave of flames, narrowly escaping being burnt. "Aisu! Blizzard!"

The ice type attempted to blast the ghost/fire type, but it wasn't particularly effective. The chandelier like Pokémon spun around in the wind, its flames blazing brightly in a tornado of flames that shielded the Pokémon inside from the snow.

"Arceus damn it." Jamie hissed as the flame tornado died down. The Chandelure was much more powerful then she had anticipated and she had nothing that was strong against it, plus she knew the rumours about Chandelure's flames, that they could consume souls.

"Aisu! Hail!"

Everyone who hadn't already taken cover did so as huge clouds appeared out of nowhere and showered the field with hailstones. Almost instantly Aisu practically vanished from view.

"A little warning next time, Jay." Mai complained as she played two cards face down, "I summon my Harpie Lady!" The harpy appeared on the scene with a screech, "Attack!"

Inchly's Star Boy disappeared from the field but the other woman didn't seem all that worried.

"That ends my turn."

Inchly sniggered as she drew, "You really think your Harpie Lady can take down my ocean beasts?" She asked as she summoned her Mermaid Knight, "Attack!"

"Mirror Wall!"

A wall of glass appeared in front of the Mermaid Knight, but before the mermaid could hit it Inchly activated one of her face down cards, Dust Tornado, to destroy it.

"I don't think so!" Mai shouted over the sound of the wind, "Mystical Space Typhoon!"

The second gale slammed into the first stopping it in its tracks and the mermaid slammed into the wall hard. The Aqua monster bounced back, losing 1000 attack points and Mai's Harpie struck it down.

"Still dismissive of my Harpies?" Mai asked, smirking herself, hiding the fear that was running rampant through her mind, "I'm not one of the world's top..."

"AISU!" Jamie's yell interrupted her as the Glaceon slammed into the barrier of green light. "Aisu! Get up!"

The Glaceon attempted to get to her feet, letting out a weak whimper as she did so, before collapsing to the ground, the hailstones dying out as Jamie demanded that her Pokémon get to her feet.

Leon glowered at Jamie before turning to his Chandelure. "Flame Burst!"

"Return!" With a reaction time that startled Mai, Jamie had enlarged Aisu's ball and caught the Glaceon in the beam of red light that had shot from it, recalling the Pokémon before the green flames had a chance to hit her again.

Jamie reached for the other Pokeballs on her belt with a snarl. She didn't have anything she could use against the Chandelure. Not effectively. Pyre, her Ponyta, was exhausted and she couldn't use the other pokeball on her belt.

"Are you going to send out another Pokémon or is this battle over already?" Leon demanded, ill amused.

"Pyre, I cho…"

"Floatzeeeeel!" Before she could finish sending out her tired Ponyta, a burst of water from over by the pond slammed into the Chandelure, knocking it sideways. Both Jamie and Leon turned to find out where it had come from, only to see a rather pissed off looking Floatzel stalking towards the battlefield.

"You stay out of this." Leon growled at it as his Chandelure spun around and around until it was upright and spat flame at the Floatzel.

"Zel. Floatzel Float." The Floatzel stomped over and put itself between Jamie and the other Trainer, "Zel, Floatzel Zel Floatzel Float. Floatzelzel Floatzel Float."

Jamie watched the apparently lecture in amusement, waiting till it had stopped ranting in order to ask, "So I take it you'd like to help?"

Meanwhile Mai had managed to get out her Harpie Lady sisters and Inchly's water monsters, which could have all done with a Legendary Ocean card on the field in order to activate some of their abilities, were getting stomped.

"I suggest you give up." Mai told her as she went to activate her face down card, "These things are never a good idea," She gestured to the glowing circle around them, "And you can't win."

"I have three monsters on the field, all with more attack points than your Harpies. The only reason I can't get to them is because of your blasted Mirror Wall and that'll be torn down soon enough. I'm not surrendering."

"Then I'm sorry." And she was. She didn't know what would happen when she won the duel, but she could guarantee it wouldn't be good for the other Duellist, "But I activate Harpie Lady Phoenix Formation!"

Her three Harpies swooped into the sky, transformed into a single blue flamed phoenix like bird and then swept across the field, destroying all three of Inchly's monsters.

Inchly's lifepoints hit zero as the combined attack points of her monsters was deducted from her life points.

"What?" Inchly yelped as her Duel Disk shut off of its own accord, its job done, but the Seal didn't vanish. Mai, who had suspected something like this, watched fearfully as the seal closed in around Inchly. "No! No! NoNoNoNo! It wasn't supposed to be me!"

She'd known that the loser would suffer something for losing? And she'd still gone ahead with it? Mai was shocked out of her thoughts by Inchly's despairing wail as she vanished in a green glow, a wail that cut off moments before the glow died and left behind a body that toppled forward and hit the ground hard.

"Floatzel! Aqua Jet!" Jamie was aware of the battle's end but didn't let her emotions get in the way of the battle in front of her, not that it mattered, the already weakened Ghost/Fire type was sent ghosting through its Trainer by the water type attack and it didn't get back up again.

"I… Lost?" Leon asked, shocked for a couple of moments, before the Pokeball in his hand glowed brightly, resonating with the green stone on the leather cord around his neck and the seal appeared beneath him.

He had time to let out a yelp then he too was lost to the bright light. Mai darted to Jamie's side as the Trainer's body hit the floor.

"What was that?" Mai demanded of her travelling companion.

"I have no idea." Jamie growled, darting forward to check him over and growling when she found him completely unresponsive, "But if I had to guess I'd say that someone's mixed your world's rules with those of mine and created something dangerous."

"We should warn the others…" Mai bit her lower lip, wondering how bad it could be and becoming surprised when Jamie shook her head.

"Not yet. There's someone I want to speak to first." Jamie flipped open her phone and hit the speed dial, leaving Mai to deal with the crowds that were slowly emerging from the houses around them. "'Kura? Hey. We need to talk."

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

**Author Note: Okay, I apologise. This has been far too long in coming. Please forgive me. It's just because I've had a lot to do over the last couple of months. Anyway, both Sheer Cold and Sacred Fire have an update so enjoy.**

**Sorry for the very very very long delay. This chapter has required a few rewrites. Plus I've moved house, plus I've graduated from University. Lots of things and little time. **


	3. Found

The Trainers of Canalave City were done for.

The constant battles had worn down on all of them. Even those who had taken it in their stride at first were beginning to struggle to keep up. It had been an inevitable thing really, that they wouldn't be able to keep it up, but none of the Trainers wanted to admit it.

In the three and a half months that Canalave had been taking Trainers in, there had barely been a day when there hadn't been fighting in the streets, be it Galactic, training or simply the brawls that were bound to erupt when you stuck too many people in too small a space. The city hadn't been big to start with, a thousand or so people at most, with most of its occupants seafaring folk or those who only had a second home by the sea. It was probably only classified as a city rather than a town purely because it held a Pokémon Gym. With all the Trainers pouring in from every corner of the globe, the city had become crowded and tempers had frayed. The longer this had continued the worse the situation had gotten.

Between the brawls that were beginning to erupt among Trainers much more used to only spending a huge amount of time around others like them during League Conferences and the Galactic sympathisers that were slipping into the city and setting up camp, the support network that held the city's defences together had slowly started to fall apart.

Even Byron, the tough but fair Leader of the Steel type Gym couldn't keep track of the trouble anymore, and not for lack of effort. During the first month or so he'd been able to stop the attempts at infiltrating the city purely because he had been able to go around and meet most of the new Trainers that had signed up under his banner. But too many Trainers and not enough time, combined with the ongoing siege of the city had rendered the Gym Leader unable to stop the sympathisers getting in.

They were fighting on two fronts, trying to deal with both the Galactics who were invading and the sympathisers who were attacking those who had thought they were among allies.

Still, it might have been winnable. Unfortunately Galactic had a second ace up their sleeve to go with their Palkia.

Cypher had finally agreed to help them deal with the situation and joined them for the attack. Shadow Pokémon were dangerous enough as it was. The Shadow Legendaries that were sent into battle wiped out Trainer after Trainer, but that wasn't what caused the city's defences to finally fall.

That was caused by a Dragon-PKNE Positive teenage male from Pallet Town who had been forced through the Shadow Process, just like any Pokémon, putting him firmly under Cypher's control. He only needed two Pokémon to destroy his opponents – his loyal Pikachu, shadow processed within minutes of his own transformation, and Team Cypher's pride and joy;

XD001, Shadow Lugia.

With his help and that of the Shadow Trio, Suicune, Entei and Raikou, no Trainer could stand against Palkia long enough to prevent what happened.

"Palkia, Spacial Rend!"

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

Miko had hurried into the urgent meeting with Dartz, having only heard about it minutes before it was due to start. To her surprise her mentor, Alister was already there but Dartz was yet to be seen.

"Alister, do you know what this is about?" Miko asked, frowning slightly and glancing around.

"I have no idea, four eyes." Alister shrugged, lounging in a VP's chair. "Dartz'll let us know when he lets us know."

Dartz entered the room in his typical dramatic fashion not through the front door, but from the secret entrance behind the projection screen attached to the back wall. "Ah good, both as prompt as usual. I've got a mission for the pair of you, one of utmost importance." He looked at Miko, "How much do you know of the Pokémon Champion who's been helping the Pharaoh?"

Miko frowned slightly, pausing in her bid to sit down to look at her current boss. Djinn, her Shedinja, hovered by her shoulder, refusing as ever to enter a pokeball, but she got the feeling the bug wasn't too keen on the silvery blue haired man.

"Jamelia Francis of Littleroot Town, Aspiring Champion of the Sinnoh League." She parroted. "She has a pretty strong team... she's far above my level."

"Useless bug." Alister muttered, shaking his head. "She's cute. Hair's bluer than yours though." The last was said irreverently to Dartz.

"Indeed." Dartz nodded, unconcerned by Alister's attitude, "I do not mean it as an insult Miko, but I've been watching her since she arrived. I don't doubt that someone who can take down five of your former comrades in a row without pause would be difficult to defeat. That is why this mission is so important. Were you aware she has a younger sister?"

Miko hesitated. She had known, of course, but shook her head. "No, sir. I had no idea. I never even faced her as an enemy while I was still serving Mercury."

Dartz grimaced slightly at that but the look was only there for a few milliseconds before it vanished, hidden behind a small, smug smile. "No matter. Lizabet Francis was caught in one of the Rends that Team Galactic have opened recently. I want her on our side. That is why I'm sending you two out. You're to convince her that joining our side would be beneficial."

"That shouldn't be too hard." Alister snorted. "Little girl lost all alone? I can take care of it and be back for dinner.

Miko frowned, wanting to object, but not willing to speak over the louder minion.

"This girl could be the best way to remove one of the Pharaoh's strongest guardians, Alister. I want her on our side." Dartz warned them. "Of course if it's impossible, then that's where you come in Miko. The girl will have no deck, the card with the Seal will be worthless, but your Sealballs will still work. If she refuses to join us, then take her soul. Either way, Jamelia will bend to us."

"I think I can do it." The former member of Team Galactic replied, nodding. "No... I'm sure... this is within my small ability."

"Oh, great. Are you sure I have to take her with me? I can just grab the kid." Alister grumbled

"Alister, the girl doesn't have a deck but she does have her Pokémon with her. How exactly do you plan on dealing with them?" Dartz asked, his tone making it obvious that he didn't appreciate being questioned. "Team Galactic made the mistake of attempting to 'just grab' the girl and she slipped out of their grasp. We need her to come to us willingly."

"Fine." He sighed, long-sufferingly. "You better not slow me down, four eyes."

"Of... of course not, Alister-sempai. I'm ready to go as soon as you are." Miko stammered back,

"There's a helicopter waiting for you on the roof." Dartz informed the pair, ignoring Alister. "I would prefer that this was done quickly and quietly. The last thing we need is attention now. Now go, and call when it's over, one way or the other."

"Got it." Alister grumbled, sweeping out and not waiting for Miko. The girl nodded, before hurrying to catch up with him.

The helicopter ride passed in uneasy silence, until the pilot informed them that they were near the target area.

"Don't mess this up, bug." Alister told her, coldly. "I don't want to have to waste my time on your mistakes."

"This is a mission from Dartz-sama." Miko replied, softly. "Just because Kaiba-san isn't the enemy here doesn't mean it isn't important." Alister's only response was to let out a derogatory snort. Miko didn't try again, instead she allowed the silence to stand between them, keeping an eye out for any sign of their target.

It took a while but before the silence between them could stretch too far the pair of them saw smoke rising from a small campfire which was hidden amongst the trees below at which point the pilot informed them that he was going to have to land in a clearing nearby and that they would have to go on foot the rest of the way.

Alister, of course, was less than amused by that news. Miko on the other hand just shrugged and waited.

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

"Tag! You're it!" Jamie laughed as she darted around Maelstrom, her newest Pokémon, the Floatzel who had helped her out a couple of weeks ago, and tapped it on the head.

Maelstrom rolled his eyes, having tried to avoid getting drawn into the playful antics of his trainer and the other Pokémon and chased after Tinder, Mai's female Ponyta, who reared up, neighing playfully and cantered away.

The other Pokémon were just as keen to get away, with Bolt, Mai's new Pachirisu, racing up the nearest tree and chuckling at the twin tailed water type. Maelstrom didn't dignify the electric squirrel's giggling. Instead he used his Aqua Jet to catch up to Aisu, Jamie's Glaceon, and bop her on the ear.

"Float, zel float."

"Hey, watch it!" Mai chuckled as Maelstrom nearly knocked her over as he dashed past, Aisu in hot pursuit, "I'm trying to cook here."

"Sorry, Mai." Jamie chuckled as she darted away from her Glaceon, refusing to be caught a second time.

"No you're not." Mai responded, glad to see her friend relaxing and enjoying herself. It was good to see the Pokémon Trainer, who had been rather upset in the last few weeks since they'd left the small village near the Windworks Rend Point, this happy.

Mai couldn't help wondering how much of it was because of the Rend Point they were due to reach this afternoon. They had had a phone call from Mokuba a couple of days back asking them to take a detour from their planned route as a new Rend had come up on the Kaiba Corp satellites and it looked like a whole town had been deposited in their world. Luckily it had been in the middle of nowhere, but the pair of them should probably check it out before they progressed any further.

Though it could just be the place, the air and the journey were clearing some of the old worries away. They hadn't been found once by Galactic in the entire time they'd been travelling, which was coming up on a month and a half now, they'd settled down for lunch in a rather picturesque little clearing, the Pokémon were completely relaxed and had tamed to them nicely and it was, for the moment, a perfect afternoon.

She could feel some of her own troubles melting away with the last of the cheese in the pot too. Though she hadn't forgotten what Marik had done to her, being trapped in your own worst nightmare wasn't something she could forget quickly after all, compared to Jamie's troubles it wasn't much at all.

It helped that Jamie had been slowly helping her with the fear of defeat that appeared due to the Penalty. The constant goading into Pokémon Battles and Duel Monsters matches, which, to start with she had turned down but had slowly agreed to more and more of them, had boosted her confidence with each win and blown away a little more of the fear with each loss.

She grinned as she helped Jamie dish out the food for the Pokémon. The last Rend point had had a market who had been more than willing to sell the pair of Trainers proper Pokémon food in exchange for the money of this world and getting them in contact with Kaiba Corp. Mai still couldn't believe how small the food, called Pokeblock, was. It could be quite easily stored in their bags even though they had to carry different foods for each type of Pokémon, and allowed a lot more room for 'proper' travel food.

"What's up?" Jamie asked, sapphire blue eyes dancing as she finished up by feeding Aisu. The Glaceon practically dove into the bowl as the pair of girls moved towards their own hot food.

"Huh?" Mai replied eloquently, confused by Jamie's question.

"You seem..." Jamie froze and wheeled around, moving in a burst of speed that startled Mai and shooting over to her Glaceon's side, letting out a disgusted sound as something purple splattered against her skin.

Then and only then did Mai see and hear what Jamie had already reacted to. The more experienced Trainer's senses were sharper than Mai's and she'd heard the incoming attack before she'd known what the attacker was.

Mai had no idea what the huge, purple, cobra like snake was called but Aisu had already launched a counter attack, attempting an Ice Beam on the cobra, which was being directed by a tall woman with dark purple hair. The attack narrowly missed as Jamie staggered to her feet, looking woozy.

What had been in that purple goop?

"Found you at last, Francis. Knew you'd head for the biggest Rend this side of the Pacific, it was just a matter of watching and waiting for you." The blonde haired man with the woman smirked, electricity crackling around him, "Hand over the Master Ball and we might consider letting you live."

"Ha." Jamie's laugh sounded a little hallow as she wondered if Mokuba had known he was giving her the directions to a trap, "Never going to happen."

Jamie's Pokémon were gathering by their Trainer as she spoke and Mai's raced over to her, growling and glaring at the newcomers.

Then it hit her, who these two were, the guy with the lightning who had just sent out a huge, yellow and black electric Pokémon and the woman in control of the snake. She didn't know their names but she knew who they were.

Team Galactic members. Probably two of the PKNEs Mercury had warned Yugi about.

Jamie glanced towards her as the Electivire stepped forward, a worried expression on her face and Mai realised that this was what the Trainer had been worried about, not just that they'd get caught up to, but that Mai would be there when the Galactics finally reached them. Jamie was worried that she hadn't trained Mai well enough, that she wouldn't be able to protect herself and her friend...

"So..." Jamie asked, "Do we get to know your names, or do I just refer to you as..." She didn't get to finish her sentence as the Electivire attacked Aisu and her Trainer.

"Tinder, Flame Charge!" At Mai's command the blue flamed Ponyta sheathed itself in fire and tackled the huge Pokémon, which was knocked back a couple of feet. The snake tried to bite at Tinder's ankles but Aisu was faster, moving between the fire horse and the striking snake and throwing up a Barrier that stopped it in its tracks.

"I didn't realise that Glaceon was that high a level." The woman commented, eying the icy blue Eeveelution with a little irritation, "And as for our names, I'm Venom and this is my Pokémon, Arbok."

The cobra hissed at Aisu who growled back.

"While I'm A.C. and this is my Electivire." The Pokémon in question shot off a Thunderbolt attack that struck Tinder hard, causing the Pokémon to go crashing to the ground. Pyre rushed over, the red flamed Ponyta nudging its blue flamed herd mate before Mai returned it to its Pokeball.

"Mai..." Jamie's face had a horrid purple tint to it and her breath was coming in short gasps. Mai's eyes widened as she realised that if the snake belonged to the woman and the woman's name was Venom, that purple goo had probably been poisonous, "Run."

"Yes, run." Venom smirked at the blonde, "You're boring. Your Pokémon aren't all that special, your skills as a Trainer are lacking and most importantly, you don't have the Master Ball."

Mai saw Jamie's shaking hand go to her belt and rest on the Pokeball in question. Jamie didn't want her here trying to help and the ease with which Tinder had gone down suggested that she couldn't be any use here even if she tried. At the same time she couldn't just run and leave her friend behind...

Electivire attacked, attempting to hit Aisu with a Thunderpunch. Aisu narrowly dodged only to get hit by a Glare from Arbok that paralysed it on the spot.

"Gale!" Mai called to the Staraptor, who swooped in, wings glowing and knocked the snake away from the small canine like creature.

"Last chance, Valentine. Don't get involved." A.C. informed her.

Venom had no intention of letting Gale get away with clobbering her snake and she glared at Mai before sending out her Weezing, who hovered in the air belching poison gas, and smirking slightly.

The only hint they had of her intentions was that A.C. swore and recalled his Electivire, and then they didn't have enough time to react before Venom gave a command.

"Explosion!"

The poisonous gas exploded, sending everyone and everything flying. Mai crashed hard into the ground a few foot away and by the time the dust had cleared enough for her to see, Venom had stalked over to Jamie and ripped the Master Ball from the semi-conscious Trainer's belt.

"I have it." Venom sounded delighted as Jamie groaned in protest, "I have the Master..." She pressed the button on the ball, expecting it to grow and release Dialga, only for the top layer of paint to break off, revealing a plain old Pokeball underneath and an empty one at that. "What?" She yelped, "Where's Dialga?" She demanded, seizing the Trainer by the collar and shaking the girl.

"Don't know can't tell." Jamie replied with a smirk, "Haven't touched a Master Ball more than once ever. Why? You lost..." Jamie let out a pained yelp as Venom dropped her and a second emerged when the woman kicked her in the stomach.

"You think you've won, but you haven't." Venom chuckled viciously at her as Mai pushed herself up, noting that Aisu was staggering to her feet at the same time. "All we have to do is report that you two don't," She paused to consider Mai carefully, "Actually..."

A.C., who had already checked the packs down by the still blazing fire where their food was now burning, moved towards Mai, who swiftly pulled her Pokeballs out of her pockets and showed them to him, well aware that she couldn't take him in a fight and she shouldn't try, not when Jamie would need her awake and coherent once these two left.

Though the amount of Pokeballs she held matched to the amount of Pokémon she had, A.C. grabbed Mai's arm, making the Duellist turned Trainer shriek in agony as lightening jumped from him to her. It lasted less than thirty seconds, but in that time A.C. had checked her pockets and let go.

"It's really not here." A.C. sounded surprised as Mai collapsed to her knees, still shaking from the after effects.

"Then I guess we'll just have to inform Mars. I guess it's finally open season on the other Trainers." Venom on the other hand was delighted, "Spectre will be happy, for once."

"N...No..." Jamie managed to force out, attempting to struggle to her feet only for Venom to push her back down easily. The Trainer hit the floor with a yelp of pain, a second, louder one emerging when she hit her head against the floor and a third, much more panicked cry erupting only to be cut off when Venom straddled her chest and wrapped her hands tightly around Jamie's throat, purple clawlike nails digging into the dragon positive Trainer's neck, dripping in poison.

"You've been a thorn in our side for too long Francis," The older Trainer growled as her nails pierced the skin and Jamie, who had been trying with what little strength she had left, to wrestle Venom's hands away from her throat, managed to just about let out a panicked, agonised whimper as yet more noxious chemicals entered her system, "And since half of this trip has been a waste I'll enjoy the other..." Venom didn't get to finish her sentence. Aisu leapt forward with ice coated fangs and sank her teeth into Venom's right arm.

Venom shrieked as she recoiled, releasing her prisoner, who passed out as the new venom mixed with the toxic chemicals she'd absorbed through the goo still clinging to her. The Poison type Trainer wheeled around to face the Glaceon, getting to her feet as she did so, only for it to start hailing.

"Bloody thing has Snow Cloak." A.C. scowled as he tried to locate the swift but silent, high powered Glaceon.

"Leave it." Venom scowled, glaring at the blood bubbling from her pierced skin and the ice shard embedded in her arm that was slowly melting away. "I don't fancy fighting with something that's..." Her words were lost in the blast of snow that pummelled her with ice and snow and knocked her away from Jamie.

A.C. launched a Thunder attack in the direction it was coming from, only to let out a startled yelp as the attack came straight back at him. The electric type screamed as his own attack hit him instead of its intended target.

"Sod this." Venom bellowed over the increasing snow, "Barrier, Mirror Coat and Snow Cloak? Just leave it. Francis is as good as dead anyway and while I'd rather stay and finish the job personally, I refuse to put up with any more of this crap."

A.C., who stumbled as he got back to his feet, couldn't agree more. Mai bolted to Jamie's side as the pair left, pulling the unconscious girl free of the snow that had landed from Aisu's attack, pack in hand, as she searched for an Antidote or Pecha Berry, only to swear profusely when she couldn't find one.

She didn't know what to do. The Pokemart they'd run into hadn't been able to sell them any Revives and the only Pokémon that wasn't unconscious was Aisu, she needed Pyre or Tinder to get them to the next town in time and both were...

She tensed as she heard the sounds of cussing as someone made their way through the nearby trees, getting to her feet as the owner of the voice emerged from the trees, still cussing about blasted tree roots. Aisu darted between her and the newcomer and growled threateningly.

"Easy." The man held up his hands, showing he was unarmed, "Are you lot alright?"

There wasn't time to be too wary. He'd come from the opposite direction to the Galactics, didn't seem to want to attack them and seemed concerned. And Mai needed the help. "We need to get to the next town, we were attacked and..."

The man was rummaging around in his coat before Mai had finished, having taken in the scene surrounding him, "Here." He shoved his hand in front of Mai's face causing her to recoil, as a pair of strong smelling stones was shoved under her nose, "Revives. Take them. I'll look after your friend." Mai didn't know the man, didn't trust him either, but the brown-haired, blue eyed man just smiled reassuringly as Aisu sniffed him curiously, "Go, they won't trust me like they do you."

Wondering if this guy was another of the wandering Trainers that they'd come across regularly as those who had been Rended explored their new surroundings, Mai darted over to Tinder and revived the fainted shiny Ponyta before moving over to Pyre and doing the same.

In the meantime the man had recalled almost all of Jamie's Pokémon, including Aisu who had only allowed him to do so because he'd promised to send her back out the moment they hit the Pokémon Centre in the next town. As Mai explained quickly to the two Ponyta, the man, who was stronger than he looked, scooped the poisoned Trainer up and moved over to join her. To Mai's pleased surprise, Pyre allowed him to climb on once Jamie had been balanced over the Ponyta's shoulders, and as she mounted Tinder she asked a question, "Who are you?"

"My name's Valon." The man said with a small grin, the green stone on his ring glinting in the light, "And I'm a friend."

**LINE_RECOGNTION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

Alister jumped out as the helicopter approached the ground, Miko waiting until it had settled down before following. They walked through the wood at an easy pace, although Miko wasn't happy at the amount of noise Alister was making tramping through the woods so loudly.

The woods were quiet except for the scattering wildlife, the sounds of something cooking and Alister's tramping. However something was following them through the trees. It was difficult to hear and see as whatever it was only stayed still for a few milliseconds at best. Miko asked Djinn to check out the surrounding area as she ran her fingers over her Pokeballs to make sure they were still secure, peering around.

The ghost/bug Pokémon had about as much luck as its Trainer, managing to hear a faint call amongst the trees and spot a flash of green in the branches.

Miko swore softly as the Pokémon's voice reached her, and she tugged on Alister's sleeve, before pointing.

"Try to be quieter." She murmured. "We don't want her to think we're a search party."

Alister scowled, but shrugged and followed her, walking as quietly as he could. Prideful and arrogant he was, incompetent, however, he wasn't.

A little further into the woods, the green flash settled on a branch, revealing itself to be a rather dirty, tired looking Vibrava who glared at the pair of them. "Vib, rava vibrava." It sounded like it was trying to warn them off.

Miko stepped forward, hands spread. "We're not here to hurt you." She told it, gently. Even though it looked like a bug, she knew it wasn't and had no idea how it would react to her.

"Vibrava." The Dragon/Ground type complained at her, glancing in the direction of the smoke before taking off, a loud high pitched Screech hitting the pair as it does so, and darting off towards the campfire. It took a few moments, but once her ears had recovered from the shriek, Miko followed swiftly, keeping her eyes open warily as Alister followed with his hands in his pockets.

The moment they stepped into the clearing it was obvious that the Vibrava had warned it's team mates as all six of the Pokémon belonging to the Trainer they'd come to find had placed themselves between her and them.

"If you're with Galactic be warned," The Trainer, who could easily have been mistaken for Jamelia had she been a little older, was in as much need of a bath and a proper rest as her Pokémon. When she spoke her voice wavered, revealing her fear and exhaustion, "Tide will wipe you out!"

The Swampert in question bellowed at them angrily, keeping itself between her and them but obviously ready to attack at the slightest provocation.

"We aren't with them." Miko replied, eying the gathered Pokémon nervously and holding her hand up for Djinn, who landed on her finger. She brought her hand down in front of her, protectively.

The icy blue haired Trainer watched them warily. She looked more frightened than angry, like she didn't know who to trust. Thrust into a strange new world without either of the friends she'd come to rely on she didn't know what to do.

Her Umbreon stepped forward, growling slightly as he sniffed at Miko, circling her first before doing the same for Alister, as if seeing if he could scent Galactic on them.

"Were you rended at Canalave too?" The girl asked, still wary but confusion overriding fear. Galactic would have attacked her or tried to capture her from the start so obviously there was something going on here, but she didn't understand what.

"No, I've been here a while." She shook her head. "This is Alister, he's a local who's been helping me out."

"Hi." Alister scowled, leaning on a tree.

"My name's Nanoha Miko, I'm from the research centre at Goldenrod originally. Can we join your fire?"

"I'm Lizabet Francis of Littleroot Town." Lizabet introduced herself, "And as long as you don't plan on attacking us, sure. I might have enough to spare."

At her words her Pokémon backed down, still watching the newcomers warily but willing to let them come over to the campfire if their Trainer had given them permission. The Vibrava from before settled at Lizabet's side as she started tending to the food again while the Swampert, obviously the most dangerous member of her team glared at the pair as he sat at her back, unwilling to relax at all.

"Ignore Tide," Lizabet advised, gesturing to two places next to the fire, "He was my sister's starter Pokémon and well..." She trailed off, looking awkward.

"I understand." Miko nodded. "Demise is the same way for me, although it was her mother who told her to look after me." She let out Demise and Sora the Ninjask, who eyed the other team suspiciously

Lizabet's squad settled around their Trainer. Having nearly lost her when Canalave had fallen, they refused to stray too far from their teacher, Trainer and friend. Tide glowered at the pair that had been released from their balls but at a sharp call from his Trainer, the Swampert settled for watching rather than doing anything else.

"I'm sorry if Sahara startled you earlier." Lizabet smiled sheepishly at Miko and Alister while gesturing to her Vibrava, "She's my scout. She makes sure nothing sneaks up on me."

"When we saw the flashes, we thought you might be in trouble." Miko admitted, nodding as she sat. Alister followed, awkwardly, before eyeing the Swampert and pulling out his deck to shuffle.

At the words "thought you might be in trouble" Tide rolled his eyes and spread his arms apart, gesturing to the Pokémon watching him that it wasn't just a small amount. Demise seemed amused by the gesture.

"Lots of bad sh.. stuff been going down since your lot started showing up." He grumbled.

"Don't blame us!" Lizabet growled at him, bristling, well aware that her sister had been one of the first to appear in this world, "It's Galactic's fault! They're the ones wrecking everything!"

"Yeah, well, the boss decided to help her." He pointed to Miko, "Might do the same for you." Alister grumbled.

"He probably will." Miko nodded. "Dartz-sama is a powerful man here. He's like President Sylph."

"President Sylph?" Lizabet blinked, recognising the name, "Why would 'Dartz-sama' help me? And how? All I want to do is find my sister."

"Because he's the kind of person who helps people." Miko replied, smiling slightly. "He had no reason to take me in when I was running from Galactic, but he did. He likes helping people in need... he wants to make the world a better place." She paused, holding up her hand. "Not like Galactic who want to replace it with a new one, but just by helping people, one at a time."

Lizabet frowned slightly. "And what would he want in return? I have nothing to offer. I have no money, no hidden knowledge and I have people chasing me because they want to use me as bait to kill my sister. How could I possibly be of any use to you as I am?"

Miko laughed, softly. "You don't have to. I'm not strong, or brave. Any one of your team could probably crush me. I was only a part-time lab assistant back home." She sighed, pushing her glasses up her nose. "What I do know is that he can protect you... and help you become strong for yourself..." She shook her head.

"I just want to help my sister. That's it." Lizabet sighed, her shoulders sinking, "I've heard the rumours coming from this world. About dark powers, godlike Pokémon and how my sister's mixed up with them. I want to protect her, like she protected me."

"Then we can definitely help." Alister spoke up, his voice soft. "When the tanks rolled in and my brother was killed, Dartz was there with the relief efforts. He pulled me from the rubble himself and asked if I wanted to become strong."

Lizabet looked at him for a few moments, absorbing his words, then offered him a bowl of noodles, "My friends call me Lizzie. If you really think your boss can help me find and help my sister, then I think we have a lot to discuss."

He took it, then nodded.

"Definitely." Miko spoke up. "He's already helped me." She told her, stroking Shedinja's head idly. "When this one rose, he had a strange symbol on his head. Dartz-sama explained what had happened and why it was a good thing... I was terrified before that."

Lizzie offered Miko a bowl and looked embarrassed, "Sorry, I don't have any for your Pokémon. I barely managed to make the Pokeblock I had stretch between my six." She examined the Shedinja as she scraped together her portion, "Why was it a good thing? If you don't mind me asking. I mean I know nothing of what's been going on here bar the rumours that have been flying and the fact Galactic want to kill my sister along with some friends she's made in this world. Oh, that and that Galactic are being helped by some guy who can use 'dark magic' and can summon monsters out of cardboard to aid him." She stopped and scowled slightly, "Sometimes I wonder if the rumours got so warped that no one knows what reality sounds like any more."

"They play a game here, a card game with monsters." Miko explained.

"It's all holograms, up until recently." Alister put in again. "Your sister is the champion girl?"

"That's how he's summoning monsters? Holograms?" Lizzie looked a little relieved at that, "Yes, my sister is Jamie Francis. Her team is amazing. She was Aspiring Champion when she got Rended but everyone just calls her a Champion now."

"I know of her. I don't know how true the rumours are, but..." Miko smiled. "If they are, she's incredibly strong."

Lizzie nodded proudly. "She is but... I still want to help her. Maybe with both of us working at it, we can find a way home and stop Galactic's plans for their 'new world'."

Miko smiled. "That's a dream worth following. At least come and meet with Dartz-sama with me. We were heading back there when we encountered you."

Lizzie paused and considered herself, "I uhhh, could you give me a chance to find a stream so I can clean up first? I look a mess."

"If we still haven't convinced you," Alister gave her a slightly disgusted look, "we have hot showers at the office."

"No, no, I want to come and talk to your boss but would you want to make a first impression looking like this? Miko doesn't count, she's probably seen Trainers in a much worse state. And you, apparently, don't care." She pointed to herself, making sure to gesture to the mud coating her legs and embedded in her hair. "I look like I've been dragged through Viridian Forest backwards and forwards. If you have a shower I can use before I meet him, then I'll come with you now."

"We do." Miko smiled. "And it is glorious."

"Shedinjaa..." Her companion agreed.

"Then I guess I'll come and talk to your boss. I don't know if I'll join up with you guys if I don't like what he has to say, but I promise to come and talk to him. Even if it is just for the free shower." There was a joking note to Lizzie's tone.

Miko smiled. "You won't regret it."

Alister just made a softly derisive sound and ate his noodles.

**LINE_RECOGNTION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

**Author Note: Muahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Shit go boom?**

**Sooo... Long time no update. When my PC went it took my entire plan for Sheer Cold and Sacred Fire with it. So this is my official notice on this fic, please note that I am posting the first chapter of 'Relic Song' at the same time as the last chapters of both pre-mentioned fics. That is the next story in the series. You're not missing anything with me ending Sheer Cold and Sacred Fire early, it was going to be all original stuff, including generic Pokémon journeys and generic OC villains that were after the Puzzle/Yugi's magic/soul/underwear for some generic reason. **

**Editor's Note: Yay, generic. :p This chapter wraps up Sacred Fire and sets the stage for Relic Song, so everything's good to go for next time. See you there. ^^**


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